Gemfish belong to the Gempylidae family.  Their back and head have blue tones with a darker stripe along the back.  The body shades to iridescent dark silver with paler white on the belly.  The skin is smooth and shimmering.

Gemfish Fishery

Gemfish are usually caught by trawlers in coastal waters around mainland New Zealand.  Target fisheries are off the northern and eastern coasts of the North Island.

New Zealand's Gemfish fishery is managed by strict quotas, which allow only a set amount of Gemfish to be taken commercially each year. This Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC) was set at 1,060 metric tonnes for the 2009/10 fishing year.

Gemfish Meat Quality

Gemfish have delicate white fillets, suitable for most cooking methods and has a high fat content.

For meal ideas using Gemfish, check out recipes on the Greatest Meal on Earth webiste.